Former culture secretary Nadine Dorries has quit as an MP - hours after saying she didn't want to trigger a by-election. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak now faces another early test at the polls.
The move comes after months-long speculation that the former culture secretary was to be handed a peerage in Boris Johnson's resignation honours list, although recent reporting suggested she was cut from the list by the Government at the 11th hour to swerve an early election battle in her seat. The former prime minister's long-awaited list, which is said to include around 50 names, is expected to be released imminently.
Ms Dorries tweeted on Friday afternoon: "I have today informed the chief whip that I am standing down as the MP for Mid Bedfordshire, with immediate effect. It has been an honour to serve as the MP for such a wonderful constituency but it is now time for another to take the reins."
